PRIVATE flying schools at Bournemouth International Airport say their businesses aren't being grounded by large budget airlines snatching their parking spaces.

According to a national newspaper private pilots are being forced out of local airports pressed for space to make room for an increase in budget airlines grabbing their tarmac aprons where traditionally light aircraft were kept.

But bosses at the Hurn airport and the resident flying schools claim that the opposite is happening at Bournemouth.

Bob Hinks, operations manager at the Bournemouth Flying Club, said: "Yes it's true that it's a problem at small airports across the country but Bournemouth has recently set up a dedicated handling facility for light aircraft so no - we are not being pushed out.

"We also train commercial pilots here so it's good for them to learn in an environment next to the big stuff such as 737s coming in from Thomson and Ryanair."

At Southampton airport Solent Flight believes it is about to be evicted to make room for the airline Flybe.

Sally Windsor, marketing and communications manager at Bournemouth Airport, agreed that it was a happening at some regional airports.

"But we encourage general aviation," she said. "It has been part of our history for 50 years and we have two or three flying schools.

"They are all important and we have opened a dedicated apron area for private planes."

Gary Ellson, boss at Bournemouth Helicopters, said that his firm also acts as the handling agent for light aircraft at the airport.

"So we, in effect, wear two hats," he said. "The general trend nationally is for local flying clubs to be frozen out but thankfully this is not happening in Bournemouth."

First published: May 18